Bonnie stared out of the passenger window in awe. The beautiful English manor Klaus and Hope lived in was nestled among a thick forest and sat on top of a hill. Klaus drove them down the dirt road early the next morning. They passed an old stone bridge and a huge lake covered with dried leaves on their way to the village which was all the way down the hill.
The scenery took Bonnie's breath away. There were fields upon fields of emerald green hills with a few clusters of trees with rusty red and yellow leaves in between. The glorious display of autumn colors was unlike anything Bonnie had ever seen before.
Klaus glanced at her from time to time as he drove them. Bonnie didn't even notice, so enraptured was she by the beautiful landscape. The land seemed to stretch on forever, a sea of green mixing with red and yellow against a sunny and cloudless sky.
"This is amazing," Bonnie murmured. "It's like being in a movie..." it was the only thing she could compare it to. She had never been out of the United States before, she had barely been to D.C. mostly on school trips and she had gone to New York once with her dad. Unlike the busy and noisy cities, this place was calm. There was a sense of tranquility, a feeling of peace and security.
"You will love the village," Hope happily told her from the back seat. "You will love living here, Bonnie. I promise."
Bonnie smiled weakly. Hope had been chatting nonstop about the village and the people and her school and her friends. She was a happy child, Bonnie could see it in the way her face lit up and the beaming smile that graced her pink lips as she talked. She was very excited about showing Bonnie around and visiting the places she loved. Bonnie didn't have the heart to tell her that she wasn't planning on staying with them; she would be leaving soon.
As soon as the elder can bring the barrier down, Bonnie thought as she continued to stare out of the window. She hadn't slept at all. After nearly a decade in a magical coma the last thing Bonnie had wanted was to lay down and close her eyes. She had spent the entire night pacing, thinking, and staring out of the window into darkness outside. She remembered her friends, her dad, her time in Mystic Falls and all the events leading up to her magical inducing sleep. She had cried for them a lot the night before, grieving for the life she used to have, for the people she used to know, and for the girl she used to be. Everything had changed in the blink of an eye for her and she was still struggling to adjust.
An elderly and kind woman named Vera had brought her breakfast and bags filled with clothes and shoes. Bonnie had felt rather embarrassed because they were the perfect size, right down to the underwear. Vera had introduced herself as Klaus's housekeeper, Hope's nanny, the cook, and cleaning lady. They hadn't talked much but Vera had seemed pleasant enough. She was also a witch, Bonnie had sensed her magic the minute she stepped inside the room.
Bonnie saw the dry-stone walls first as they approached the village, then the limestone cottages with their beautiful autumn colored gardens. Once they finally entered the village she saw the stone houses perfectly aligned together. There was a flower shop, a bakery, a pub, a post office, a coffee shop, and lots of other shops as well as a couple of restaurants on each side of the main road. Her eyes opened wide with wonder when they passed a two-story honey colored stone house, Morrigan's Magic Shop read the big sign. The scent of vanilla and lavender hit her nose despite the car's closed windows.
As they rounded the corner, Bonnie spotted another magic shop, The Black Cat the sign read. This one was smaller, the shutters black, and the door red. Bonnie felt a shiver run down her spine as the car drove by.
Klaus parked right across from a beautiful 15th century style church. Right next to the church was another limestone building with a red roof. Children of all ages were making their way inside.
The icy wind blew Bonnie's long dark hair in her face as she got out of the car. The village was bigger and far more beautiful than Bonnie had anticipated. It was enchanting really. She looked around in wonder and feeling almost mystified by her surroundings. The air crackled with electricity and her senses seemed to come alive under the familiar currents of magic floating in the air.
"That's my school!" Hope gushed as she got out of the car and came to stand next to Bonnie. "Look!" she pointed to a red curly haired girl walking with her mother towards the building. "That's my best friend, Claire." She happily waved at the little freckled girl. The girl waved back and smiled in their direction while the mother stared at Bonnie with open curiosity.
"Alright," Klaus said as he helped his daughter with her backpack. "Time to head inside."
"I'll wait here," Bonnie told them.
Klaus nodded before taking his daughter's hand in his.
"I'll see you this afternoon," Hope said to Bonnie with a smile on her face. "I can't wait to show you around. You will love it."
Bonnie smiled back. Hope's happiness and excitement was contagious.
"Bye!" Hope waved.
"Bye!" Bonnie waved back and watched as Klaus walked Hope all the way to the entrance of the school where a stern looking middle aged woman was ushering the kids inside. The bells of the church tolled as dozens of parents delivered their kids to the old building.
Klaus crouched down in front of Hope and said something to her, which made the little witch giggle before she threw her arms around his neck in a fierce hug. They pulled apart and Klaus kissed the top of her head.
He loves her, Bonnie realized. There should be no surprise in that, all fathers should love their daughters but there was something about seeing the most powerful vampire in the world smile and kiss his little girl with tenderness. It was a rare and precious thing that she had just witnessed. It was also disconcerting, this was Klaus the vampire that had terrorized her friends back in Mystic Falls, the one they had feared and tried to murder and yet here he was, looking like a regular human dad as he dropped his daughter to school.
Hope happily ran inside the school. She waved one last time in Bonnie's direction before meeting up with her friend Claire and heading inside with the other children.
The smile on Klaus's face as he walked back to the car was unguarded and filled with happiness. The moment he noticed Bonnie watching him however, the smile disappeared and a mask of indifference was put in place.
Bonnie felt nervous and unsettled. She didn't know what to make of the hybrid anymore and even though he didn't show it, Klaus was experiencing something similar. They were both in uncharted territory and were trying to make the best of it.
"Walk with me," Klaus told her as he led the way towards the main street.
Bonnie quietly fell into a step beside him.
No more words were exchanged between them.
• • • •
Drusilla, that was the name of the clan's leader and she was also the owner of Morrigan's Magic Shop. She was a tall, pale, blue eyed beauty with long dark hair that was pulled into a messy ponytail. She was absolutely stunning, her skin looked smooth, she had high cheekbones, a perfectly defined nose, and full red lips that curled into a grimace the moment she spotted Klaus.
Bonnie felt rather nervous in her presence. Drusilla emanated an aura of power that had Bonnie's skin prickling and her stomach coiling with uncertainty. This was a woman you didn't mess with.
"Klaus," Drusilla greeted in a cold voice. The icy glare in her eyes would have send a lesser man running. It seemed she wasn't particularly fond of the hybrid and the sight of him had definitely ruined her morning.
"Drusilla," Klaus in turn offered her a grin. He seemed completely unaffected by her cold greeting. He almost seemed to be enjoying himself.
Drusilla turned to Bonnie immediately. "Ah," she slowly moved her eyes over Bonnie's body before meeting her eyes. "The sleeping witch is awake at last."
Bonnie felt uncomfortable under that scrutinizing hard gaze. She was wearing a comfy sweater with jeans and leather black boots but under Drusilla's eyes she felt naked and vulnerable. It was almost as if the woman's eyes were piercing right through her soul. She didn't like it.
"Bonnie Bennett," Drusilla murmured tilting her head to the side. "I met a Bennett witch once," she casually commented. "You are nothing like her." Her expression turned sour. "I'm disappointed really. I expected better from someone carrying such name."
"Drusilla." There was an edge to Klaus's voice and he moved closer to Bonnie, almost in a protective stance.
Drusilla arched an eyebrow, she had not missed the hybrid's movements.
"How do you know my name?" Bonnie asked not liking the woman's superior attitude or the casual way in which she had dismissed her.
"I saw you when Klaus first came to the village," Drusilla responded. "All newcomers must give a detail account of the things they bring with them, naturally a sleeping witch inside a coffin had to be inspected. You were not a threat to us and so we allowed you in."
Bonnie frowned. The way Drusilla said the words made her uncomfortable, she couldn't help but wonder what would have happen if they had considered her a threat.
"Come with me," Drusilla ordered. She turned around and walked towards the back of the shop, not even bothering to ensure if Klaus and Bonnie were following her. Drusilla was a woman used to people following her commands and she clearly expected the hybrid and the witch to do the same.
It was pretty early still; the magic shop was empty saved for them and a young woman in the corner stocking the shelves. She gave Bonnie a curious look as they passed her but continued with her work in silence. Bonnie didn't even have time to look around as she and Klaus followed Drusilla to the back room. A big wooden table in the center of the room was filled with different pots, herbs, and candles while the shelves against the walls were filled with different color bottles, books, and plants.
With a wave of her hand Drusilla locked the door and motioned for Bonnie and Klaus to take a seat around the big wooden table which they did. Drusilla remained standing, leaning back against one of the shelves and watching the hybrid and the witch curiously. "How did you wake up?" she questioned Bonnie.
Bonnie shifted nervously in her seat, she didn't know how to answer that. Her cheeks grew hot with embarrassment as she remember his lips on hers.
"She just did," Klaus responded right away. "Yesterday, as a matter of fact."
"How?" Drusilla pressed.
"We don't know," Klaus lied easily.
Drusilla turned to Bonnie, a questioning look on her face.
"I don't know," Bonnie responded. Klaus's kiss had woken her but it seemed the hybrid was not inclined to share that detail with the witch standing in front of them so Bonnie followed his lead. If Klaus didn't trust Drusilla with all the details then neither would Bonnie. Better the devil you know, Grams always said.
Drusilla didn't look like she believed them but she didn't question them further. "What do you want?" she asked the question looking straight at Klaus.
"Bonnie wishes to return home," Klaus responded. "We were hoping you would drop the barrier and allow her to leave." He usually demanded things to be done but with this witch he had to choose his words carefully.
Drusilla crossed her arms over her chest. "Do you think this is a hotel where you are free to walk in and out as you please?" she snapped. "The barrier is in place for a reason. I don't think I need to remind you of that."
"She doesn't belong here," Klaus retorted.
"Neither do you," Drusilla was quick to point out.
The tension in the room was palpable.
Bonnie watched them curiously. Maybe it was just her imagination but there seemed to be a lot of anger and unresolved issues in between them. "I don't wish to impose," she said nervously.
Drusilla and Klaus turned towards her.
"I understand that there is a barrier in place," Bonnie said as she looked at Drusilla. "But I am asking you to please lower it and allow me to leave."
"What do you know of this place?" Drusilla questioned.
"Klaus said this is a sanctuary," Bonnie responded honestly. "He told me this land belongs to a powerful witch clan, your clan I suppose." When Drusilla nodded, Bonnie continued, "he said that as long as the barrier is in place no one can come in or leave." It was the reason they had come to see her, so Drusilla could lower the barrier and allow her to return to Mystic Falls.
There was thoughtful look on Drusilla's face as she began talking. "Our people have been persecuted for centuries. Our clan was once the most powerful in Europe but were nearly annihilated by the inquisition, witch hunters, vampires." She sent a murderous look at Klaus. "My ancestors paid a high price to acquire this land, to raise the barrier and protect the few members left after centuries of being slaughtered by their enemies. That's how this place came to exist." She paused gathering her thoughts. "This is a safe heaven. A place where we can live without fear, without the drama and the power struggles in the rest of the supernatural world. The majority of the people living in this land are the descendants of the clan my ancestors ruled, a few others have joined us in the past one hundred years or so." She once again glanced at Klaus.
The hybrid leaned back against the chair, crossed his arms over his chest and propped his feet on the table in a casual and relaxed posture. Drusilla looked ready to murder him.
"I know that you were brought here by him," the disdain in her voice was evident. "You did not ask to come here, to live here, and I understand your desire to return to your home but unfortunately, I cannot bring the barrier down."
"But maybe you can lower it just a little bit," Bonnie asked in a hopeful tone. "Just enough for me to sneak out, I'll do it quickly I promise."
"The magic protecting this land is ancient, extremely powerful, and difficult to even lower a bit," Drusilla explained. "We limit ourselves to lowering the barrier once a year and that is more out of necessity to get supplies, and to have communication with the outside world but it is not an easy task."
"When do you lower the barrier?" Bonnie asked.
"We usually do it at the beginning of each year."
"The beginning of each year," Bonnie repeated. "That's like..." she turned to Klaus. She wasn't exactly sure how far away that was. She was pretty sure they were close though the leaves where changing color and falling down.
"We're in October," Klaus said.
"So, you will lower the barrier in around two months," Bonnie muttered in a shaky voice. Two months, it seemed like an eternity.
"We did it in December last year, as a petulant vampire wanted to spend Christmas with his family," Drusilla glared in Klaus's direction.
"Your clan didn't mind lowering the barrier with the bargain I offered," Klaus snapped.
"We didn't need your help," Drusilla practically snarled. "Daniel and I would have handled it."
"Your mother seemed to think otherwise."
"My mother seems to be blinded when it comes to you!" The anger and bitterness in Drusilla's voice was pure venom. The room shook as her magic came alive.
"Your mother is actually a wise ruler and ten times the witch you will never be!" Klaus snarled as he stood up.
Bonnie stood up as well watching nervously between both of them and wondering who was going to attack first.
"You!" Drusilla's right hand balled into a fist. She looked seconds away from exploding.
"You can't hurt me," Klaus reminded her as his lips curled into a Cheshire grin. "Remember the deal I have with your family, Drusilla. You wouldn't want to be the one to break that do you?"
Drusilla bit back whatever retort she had on her lips and turned to Bonnie. "We won't lower the barrier until two to three months from now. You are welcomed to stay at the inn. We also have a couple of empty cottages if you would prefer some solitude in the meantime. Perhaps, you might even find yourself staying here for good."
"She's staying with me," Klaus said in a rather possessive voice.
"Is that so?" Drusilla sneered. "You're wasting your time with this one," she said to Klaus, there was a strange glint in her eyes. "No one can help her with her magic problem."
Klaus frowned. There was a clear question in his eyes as he stared at Bonnie.
Bonnie looked away, her body tensing.
"You always had a thing for powerful witches," Drusilla continued with a malicious smirk. "But this one isn't worth all the trouble. You'll be sorely disappointed with her darling. She's useless and won't be of any help to your family."
Klaus growled.
"You know nothing about me!" Bonnie snapped angrily.
"I know more than you think my dear," Drusilla gave her a superior look. "It's a pity. You could have been great if you hadn't been so stupid."
"Go to hell!" Who the hell did this woman think she was? Bonnie didn't like her at all.
"Get out," Drusilla ordered. The door flung opened and she moved towards it. She was done talking to them and wanted them out of the way before she lost her legendary temper. She stopped abruptly on the threshold. "I'm sure Klaus will happily explain the rules to you," she said turning to glance at Bonnie over her shoulder. "And what happens to those who break them." Her words were a clear threat.
Bonnie felt a chill go down her spine. The look Drusilla was giving her was one of pure hatred. Bonnie didn't understand why. She had done nothing to the woman to earn such hateful look.
"A word of advice princess," Drusilla practically snarled. "Keep your head low, respect your elders, and know your place. Your name means nothing here." She gave Klaus one last nasty look before she angrily walked away.
My name, Bonnie thought. There was an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach.
What did that had to do with anything?
• • • •
"She seems to hate me," Bonnie murmured quietly as she and Klaus walked down the street a few minutes later. Drusilla's parting words had been unsettling. Bonnie had definitely taken them as a threat.
"She definitely hates me," Klaus stated the obvious.
"How did she allowed you in if she doesn't like you?" Bonnie questioned him.
Klaus grinned. "She didn't hate me when I first came in," he responded. "And she didn't have much of a choice either, her mother owed me a debt and I asked that she paid it back by allowing us into their sanctuary."
"What did you do to Drusilla then?"
"What makes you think I did something to her?"
Bonnie gave him a knowing look. "You seriously need to ask that question?"
Klaus chuckled.
They continued to walk down the street, the day was turning colder despite the sunny rays bathing down on them. The village was buzzing with activity as people went about their business. They gave curious glances in Bonnie's direction, some even stopped in what they were doing to openly stare at her. While the village was bigger than Bonnie had first imagined, it was still the kind of place where everyone knew everybody and she was definitely the new face in town.
A dark tall dark haired man getting out of a red pickup truck watched her with curious grey eyes. Bonnie's skin prickled. There was something about him. He wasn't a witch but he was definitely supernatural. The man slid his gaze from her and towards Klaus, he gave a curt nod in the hybrid's direction before he made his way inside The Lion's Inn.
How strange, Bonnie thought. "So, are you going to tell me?" She turned to Klaus once more. Something had happened between Klaus and Drusilla and she felt curious.
"I refused to fuck her," was his blunt reply.
Bonnie nearly bumped into a lamp-post. "What?" she stammered.
Klaus chuckled. He stopped walking and turned to face her fully. "Drusilla is full of herself, she is the first lady of the land so to speak. She's used to getting whatever she wants," he explained with a shrug. "When I first arrived, she decided she wanted me in her bed. I refused her and ever since then she can't stand the sight of me." Granted he could have been a little nicer in his refusal but Drusilla had not let that slight to her ego go.
"You don't find her attractive?" Bonnie asked curiously. Because Drusilla was stunning, cold and intimidating but no one could deny her beauty.
"Oh, there is no denying that she's beautiful," Klaus replied. "But I have met countless of women like her." His eyes glinted as he said his next words. "And to the utter heartbreak of all the women that find me irresistible, my heart belongs to a little witch with no intention to share."
Hope, Bonnie thought with a smile on her lips. Hope definitely had Klaus wrapped around her fingers and was without a doubt the keeper of his heart.
They resumed with their walking.
"What did Drusilla mean about your magic problem?" Klaus questioned after a while in silence.
Bonnie tensed and looked down at her boots as they walked. "I don't have magic anymore," she whispered.
Klaus frowned.
"I combined all the magic I had inside me to bring Jeremy back," she continued softly. She didn't look at him as she spoke. "It was too much." She shivered remembering that horrible sensation as her magic choked her. Her own power had turned on her and nearly killed her.
They made it down a cobblestone street with limestone houses on each side, the road opened up to a clustered of trees and in the distance she could have sworn she heard the sea.
"It's why you fell into a coma."
"Yes." She crossed her arms over chest, the icy winds slashing her cheeks. "I think the spirits punished me and took my magic away." It wouldn't be the first time the spirits punished her. She had once again defied them by bringing Jeremy back from the dead. "I can't feel my magic," she confessed. "It's gone." There were many conflicting emotions in that regard.
"Even if the spirits punished you because you brought that boy back from the dead, there is no way your magic is truly gone. You're a witch, Bonnie. I'm sure your magic is still there."
Klaus sounded so sure, Bonnie turned to face him. He had his hands inside the pockets of his black coat, he seemed unaffected by the cold wind. Bonnie on the other hand was shivering. Her nose in particular felt like an icicle.
"Besides," the hybrid continued as the cottages disappeared and they made their way into the forest. "The spirits are gone."
"What do you mean?"
"The other side was destroyed, love."
Bonnie stopped walking. "The other side is gone?" she repeated thinking she heard wrong.
Klaus stopped as well. "A group known as the Travelers destroyed the other side about a year after you fell into a coma," he informed the stunned witch. "The other side no longer exists, the spirits and every other supernatural that lived there are gone."
It was another dagger to her already wounded heart. "Grams," Bonnie whispered squeezing her eyes shut as another piece of her heart was torn apart.
Klaus looked away. He didn't want to witness another breakdown so he started walking ahead.
Bonnie bit her lip and summoned all the strength she could muster, following him. She didn't know where they were going, she just kept walking after him, enduring the wind and the cold and doing her best not to cry. Her emotions were all over the place. She still didn't feel like her old self, something was missing and it hurt.
"With the collapse of the other side, Esther and Mikael found a way to come back to life," Klaus told her as they continued to make their way through the forest. "Finn and Kol as well." He kept facing forward, he hated thinking back to that time and how close he had come to losing Hope. "I found a way to end my parents for good and I even met my long-lost sister."
"You have another sister?"
"Freya, the oldest of the Mikaelson children."
Bonnie felt stunned by that.
"I also met my mother's older sister," his lips were pressed into a grimace as he thought of his aunt. "A crazy aunt hell bent in taking my child. She took Freya when she was little and wanted to do the same with Hope. We fought her and won." He was giving her a quick summary of the events that transpired in New Orleans. There were many details he wasn't going over.
"And your brothers?" Bonnie asked.
"Finn, Kol, and Rebekah are currently indisposed," Klaus replied simply. Different emotions flickered across his stormy blue eyes, there was anger and pain but it was gone quickly, once again replaced by that mask of indifference.
Bonnie gave him a questioning look.
"It's a long and complicated story." One he clearly didn't want to discuss at the moment. Besides considering the fact that she couldn't go anywhere, they would have plenty of time to catch up and go over the complicated Mikaelson saga.
"Why do you need a sanctuary Klaus?"
The hybrid stopped walking, eyes lost in the breathtaking scene in front of them.
The air left Bonnie's lungs as she followed his gaze and saw the sea. They were standing on top of a cliff, an endless sea of blue stretching for miles to no end right in front of them. It was magnificent. The wind was harsh, the cold chilling her to the bones but it was worth it. Bonnie had never seen something so beautiful. It was almost as if she were standing right on top of the world.
"That's our house," Klaus pointed to a distant point to their right.
She didn't know why her heart skipped a beat when he said our house, he clearly meant his and Hope. But it's going to be the house you will be staying in for the next two months, her mind reminded her. Bonnie could see a small dot proudly on top of another hill.
"There are cliffs practically in our backyard," Klaus continued. He turned to face forward. "I like this view better," he admitted.
Bonnie nodded. To the left was a light house on top of another hill and mountains behind it. The village was right in between Klaus's manor and the lighthouse. Bonnie turned her back to the sea and faced the area where they had come from. She could see the trees surrounding the village as well as the many rooftops from all the houses behind. Her lips parted slightly as she took in her surroundings. She had never seen anything like this before. It was beautiful and despite the cold, there was a certain sense of peace.
She was on a cliff and if the wind continued to slam against her it might even push her over into the rocks below and plunge her into the raging sea which crashed hard against the cliffs but Bonnie did not feel afraid, she was mesmerized by it all. She could easily picture Klaus standing at the edge with Hope watching the foam rise high and seeing the magnificent waves breaking down against the rocks.
Her heart nearly burst from her chest when she saw one particular wave rise high, so high it looked like it was heading straight towards them. She took an involuntary step back.
"Relax sweetheart, it won't hit us."
Bonnie moved unconsciously closer to him. The wave crashed against the cliff, the loud sound of the water breaking against the rocks reached her ears and she breathed a sigh of relief. Her heart sped up again when another wave rose, moving fast towards them. When it crashed against the rocks, Bonnie smiled as her body relaxed once more.
It happened again and again and soon Bonnie wasn't just smiling, she was laughing. She couldn't explain it really, it was something that just happened as she stared at the sea and saw the waves crash again and again. There was a feeling of excitement coiling in her belly.
A loud shriek escaped her when a particularly rough wave splashed a few drops of water over her face and body and then she burst out laughing. She couldn't contain her laughter. Once she started laughing she couldn't stop. It was almost as if all the tension, all the grief, all the pain and uncertainty inside her came to the surface and found its release through laughter rather than tears. There was something about this place that brought her a strange feeling of comfort. She didn't know if Klaus had brought her here intentionally but she felt grateful that he had.
Klaus kept quiet as he stood next to her.
While Bonnie watched the sea, following the rise and fall of each wave and laughing as it sprinkled some water on her, Klaus watched her. She was so enthralled by such beautiful creation of nature that she barely felt when Klaus gently placed his coat over her shaking shoulders. She was soon engulfed in his scent as the big coat chased away the cold from her body.
The two former enemies stood side by side watching the raging sea in front of them.
It was a strange moment of silence, peace, and comfort between two lonely people.
"Why do you need a sanctuary Klaus?" Bonnie asked again as she turned her head to face him. She clutched his coat closer to her body as she looked up into his face and waited for an answer.
For a long time, it seemed like Klaus would ignore her question again but eventually he sighed and turned to face her. "I'm here to keep Hope safe," he finally revealed. "This is the only place in the world where the thing that haunts her cannot reach her."